I loved this collection. at times it was hard to read because the subject matter for nearly every story was something that I don’t often wish to think about - the loss of a loved one. each story was heartbreaking in its own way and beautifully crafted.

This is a beautifully written book that brings solace and understanding during challenging times. Mary Jones offers a compassionate and relatable exploration of loss, with thoughtful insights that resonate deeply. Her writing is both tender and hopeful, making it a comforting guide for anyone navigating difficult goodbyes or seeking emotional closure. This novel is a heartfelt and introspective journey through grief, healing, and personal growth - definitely recommend!!

An emotional, thought-provoking and entertaining collection of short stories centered around all kinds of goodbyes. I laughed at some stories and teared up at other - Mary Jones does such a lovely job of capturing what it means to let go.

Thanks to Zibby Books for the copy to review.

I enjoyed some of the stories more than others. I felt like they often ended when I was getting interested, but maybe that's the design of short stories. I haven't read many collections of short stories so I'm not sure. I also received an audio copy which added to the experience.

A thoughtful, melancholy mood pervades these touching, memorable stories dealing with end of life, end of marriages, and other forms of ending.

What happens when you are forced to let go of the things you love the most? What are you left with?

The only thing that could have made this book better was if I had read it on a dark, rainy day. This book is a mood and I loved it. I don’t typically read short story collections but I was drawn to the description of this book. I love torturing myself with sadness. Each story is very smartly written. Some are terribly sad but there are plenty that are darkly humorous. Some are straightforward and some are a little weird. Trust me when I say you haven’t read anything like this. We all must say goodbye to people, things, situations, relationships. Sometimes we’re ready for the goodbye and sometimes we’re not. This gem of a little book explores the processes we take to say goodbye when we’ve initiated the process and when it’s been forced on us.

DNF at 50%.. Don't get me wrong, the stories I read were beautiful, it is just me that is discovering that short stories is not for me

The Goodbye Process is a short story collection that is naturally all about endings and the loss of something. There's a great range of stories here all tinged with a faint air of melancholy but an originality of story that keep each vignette feeling fresh in its complexity. The writing is spare but powerful and this is an interesting debut from an author that I'd be curious to see what comes next for.

DNF @ 20 %

the synopsis was compelling enough to dive into this novel but the writing was way too anticlimactic for my liking to finish the rest of it.

thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Each of the stories in The Goodbye Process are profound and beautifully written. This little book packs a punch. While some are a bit bizarre, and others are reflective, I think readers can find exactly what they are looking for. Highly recommend!

The concept of goodbyes. It seems so sad, yes, but also a chance to meet again. These lovely short stories revolve around various leavings, from loss to the unimaginable, love, and, always, the change that comes along with it. This is Mary Jones’s debut short story collection THE GOODBYE PROCESS.

Filled with quotes so urgent, stories that make you feel like you’re a fly on the wall, a tender one that struck a chord complete with sensory awareness so sharp, others with little details making them so twinkly and memorable. It’s hard to pick favorites, but here I go, it’s Tell Me Something New.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zibby Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a wonderful collection of stories! There is a humanity to this book that held me close to it. It felt as though I was reliving moments of my life and learning to live with those memories. I highly recommend this book! Five stars!!!

My husband and I enjoy reading these short stories together, it is a way we spend our times together but we need something short, and sweet. So these stories work perfectly for us, with their short chapters we do not need to read a series together and we can read and discuss in 10 minutes. These stories are all different and all unique, not every one is sad, depressing, some of them are growths of life, and events of growth. One is mourning the loss of his wife and her upcoming funeral, one is a dangerous occurrence, and another is shopping lifting and the effects. Each one a short story to give you insights of another.

This book provided a refreshing opportunity to read a short story collection, something I don’t do often enough. The overarching theme of the collection is loss, but to me they just felt like very original and almost quirky stories about life. This book didn’t leave me with an overwhelming sense of sadness or despair in the way you might think a book about loss would leave you with.

The stories are all over the place but the book feels cohesive. The story that really stayed with me was about two young girls that get caught shoplifting and they think they are being apprehended by an officer but it is really a sinister man with bad intentions - creepy but so readable!!! Other stories delve into personal appearance, real estate woes and relationships - all very well crafted and written and completely satisfying.

THE GOODBYE PROCESS is a beautiful collection of short stories that I inhaled in just a few sittings. It’s a short book—around 250 pages—so it was easy to whiz right through it. It explores loss, grief, and healing in the most unique way, and exemplifies the many different ways that humans can say goodbye—to relationships, friendships, partners, and so on. I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions while reading. One minute I was holding back tears, the next I was giggling! Not all of these goodbyes are sad ones, so don’t expect pages and pages of doom and gloom. Some are darkly funny, completely satisfying, and even beautiful. If short stories are your jam, and you enjoy reading about raw, real, and honest human experiences, then you don’t want to miss this one.

@zibbybookspublishing seems to find books that stick to your insides, never let go, and slowly become part of your personality, and this book is no exception. I finished late last night and have already told two people they really need to read it and I'm sure by the end of the day there will be plenty more.

This short story collection has something for anyone that has struggled with the acceptance that there are things we cannot change and must just accept. For anyone that has faced that letting go and moving on is sometimes the only option.

Goodbyes are so layered and these stories and characters reflect that.

Some of the stories have a quiet approach while others pack a punch and all of the vignettes really flow so beautifully. The humanness of goodbyes was explored in such a tender and thoughtful way and I found myself experiencing so many emotions while reading these stories.

This one will stick with me for a long, long time.

"The Goodbye Process” by Mary Jones is a captivating debut short story collection that delves into the poignant and sometimes surreal ways we bid farewell. Jones’s distinctive voice weaves tales that range from tender and heartbreaking to unsettling and darkly funny, pushing readers out of their comfort zones and igniting intense emotions surrounding love and loss.

The stories explore themes of letting go: of relationships, health, and innocence. In one story, a woman camps out on the porch of an ex-lover who barricades himself inside the house. In another, a preteen girl caught shoplifting faces grave danger. A Los Angeles real estate agent falls for a woman who helps him detach from years of dramatic plastic surgery. And a man hires a professional mourner to ensure his wife’s funeral is a success. Each narrative packs a punch, much like grief itself, knocking readers off their feet.

One of the most refreshing and exhilarating things about being a reader, is when you push yourself out of your reading comfort zone. In the past I have had a difficult time enjoying short stories. I always seem to want to find out more and be pulled into the individual stories. Sometimes I have felt as if I was being taken on a rollercoaster ride that ends too abruptly. However, the way Mary Jones has curated her stories in “The Goodbye Process” has changed my POV and instead brightened up my reading horizon. This collection is raw and honest. It has provided me a deep exploration of goodbyes that I will likely turn when navigating life’s transitions. Whether you’re seeking stories to grow through your own experiences or simply appreciate masterful writing, this collection delivers.

Bravo to Mary Jones for her exquisite storytelling. If you’re ready to feel all the feels, dive into “The Goodbye Process” and discover the startling, haunting, and original narratives that await within its pages.

a beautiful, eloquently written collection of short stories. Mary Jones has a beautiful way of writing, and these stories vary in a wide range of topics. some of them were a little darker to read, and some were unlike anything i've read before.

i would definitely pick up a copy of this if i saw it on the shelf! plus this cover :)

3.5

thank you to NetGalley and ZibbyBooks for the arc!

I enjoyed many of the stories, but I just don’t think I’m a short story kind of person. I just needed more. It was probably just the formatting of the arc, but many stories didn’t have titles and so just ran together from the previous story. It took a second to realize the previous story had ended as there was no divide. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.

Goodbyes in any form are always hard, and reading this book of short stories has reminded me to cherish every moment with individuals because they may be some of the last moments we have with them. The writing was eloquent and powerful, and some of the stories really resonated with me. I’ve lost several people in the past few years, so at times, this was a little painful to read. While I don’t often gravitate toward this genre of work, I found this collection to be enjoyable and look forward to seeing what the author comes out with next.

Thank you to Mary Jones, Zibby Books and NetGalley for an advance electronic copy for an honest review.